The Perfect Music for a Wedding Ceremony

Adding A Pickup To An Acoustic Guitar

21 July 2016 by Samantha Meyer

The pure tone produced by an acoustic guitar is its most endearing quality, but a louder sound is sometimes needed for it to be heard amidst other musical instruments. Owners of acoustic guitars can choose to attach a pickup to ensure that their guitar is heard when necessary.

A pickup is a small electrical device attached to the body of a guitar to pick up and transmit sound to an amplifier. An electrical wire is typically added to connect the pickup. Some owners are concerned about the appearance of electrical components added to an acoustic guitar. Fortunately, there are a few different installation methods from which to choose.

In the sound hole

A conspicuous method of attaching a pickup to an acoustic guitar is to install the pickup across the sound hole. The sound hole is the large opening on the face of the guitar body. There are potential drawbacks to a sound-hole pickup. Depending on your personal playing style, a sound-hole pickup might partially obstruct the full range of motion needed by your fingers.

Another drawback of a sound-hole pickup is that installation may slightly scratch the surface of the guitar. If you only need amplification on a temporary basis, a less permanent installation is possible.

On the soundboard

A contact pickup can be placed anywhere along the wooden soundboard surrounding the sound hole. The small pickup can be attached to either the outside or the inside of the guitar body. A pickup mounted inside an acoustic guitar is relatively inconspicuous, but you may prefer an even smaller pickup.

Under the saddle

The saddle sits atop the bridge on the face of your guitar, supporting the tensioned strings. A saddle pickup consists of a thin strip of conductive material underneath the saddle. It is necessary to drill a small hole through the bridge to connect a saddle pickup. As with the other pickup designs, a method is needed to hide the connected wire.

Acoustic guitars are typically built with a protruding pin at the end of the hollow body. The pin is designed to attach to a neck strap, allowing you to stand while performing. The end pin can be modified to also serve as a cable connection, allowing the pickup wire to remain hidden inside the guitar.

If you are only recording a single acoustic guitar, a pickup is not necessary. With no other competing sounds, a regular studio microphone is sufficient. Some new acoustic guitars contain built-in pickups. Contact a guitar store for more advice on amplifying the sound of an acoustic guitar.

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